First Voices Radio

Host Tiokasin Ghosthorse talks with Chief Terrance Paul, Co-Chair and Fisheries Lead for the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs.

Chief Paul and Tiokasin discuss the current situation involving the Mi’kmaw’s treaty rights to fish (in this particular case, gather lobsters) and the violence — imposed by a small and extremely racist minority — that has erupted and escalated since mid-September 2020 causing damage to Mi’kmaw property and endangering Mi’kmaw lives.

Chief Paul brings listeners up to date on all of the latest developments and the Mi’kmaw peoples’ efforts to work with the Canadian federal government to put a stop to the harassment and violence. People — not just Native people — all over the world are watching what is happening and lending support to the Mi’kmaw people in their struggle to maintain their treaty rights.
 
Chief Paul has held the position of Chief of Membertou First Nation since 1984. During this time, Chief Paul has guided his community and administration into one of the most open and efficient Native communities in Canada.

He has served on numerous boards and task forces, and is one of the original founders of the National Capital Corporation Association (NACCA), which started out as seven Aboriginal corporations and has grown to 50 Aboriginal financial institutions across Canada.

Chief Paul started his career with the Boston Indian Council, where he received his background training in Finance and Management. He began as a Job Placement Officer and was quickly promoted to Director of Finance before being named president of the council. Upon returning home to Membertou, Chief Paul worked as the Economic Development Officer and Band Manager before being elected as Chief.

Chief Paul has achieved many accomplishments in his role as Chief, including doubling the land base for the Membertou Reserve. He also assisted Donald Marshall, Jr., in his successful Supreme Court defense of the Mi'kmaq Treaty Rights to fish, which resulted in approximately $600 million in the Atlantic for the Mi'kmaq. In 2012, Chief Paul was inducted into Junior Achievement Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame recognizing his accomplishments and contributions to Nova Scotia.
 
Second Interview:
 
Tiokasin talks with Antonia Perre, a clinical herbalist, gardener and artist who was born and raised in New York City. They have apprenticed with several herbalists around the Northeast, Central and South America, and Thailand.

They graduated from Bard College where they studied environmental and urban studies in 2015 and Arborvitae School of Traditional Herbal Medicine in 2019. They are a community organizer, gardener, food and environmental justice educator.

They are also the co-founder of collectives: Brujas and Herban Cura. They are passionate to share their knowledge with other folks especially in urban centers, in order to interrupt notions of individualism and separatism from nature and grow towards collaborative and symbiotic communities. For more information, visit: https://herbancura.org/
 
 Production Credits:

 Tiokasin Ghosthorse (Lakota), Host and Executive Producer 
 Liz Hill (Red Lake Ojibwe), Producer 
 Tiokasin Ghosthorse, Studio Engineer and Audio Editor, WIOX 91.3 FM, Roxbury, NY 
 
 Music Selections: 
 1. Song Title: Tahi Roots Mix (First Voices Radio Theme Song) 
 Artist: Moana and the Moa Hunters 
 CD: Tahi (1993) 
 Label: Southside Records (Australia and New Zealand) 
 (00:00:44) 
 
 2. Song Title: Ganulu (Great Black Messenger Bird) 
 CD: Music for the Mother (2020) 
 Label: Underwater Panther Coalition 
 (00:25:36) 
 
 3. Song Title: Salt and the Sea 
 Artist: The Lumineers <